Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Redskins Rule Out Signing Larry Johnson

Thank God. The last thing the Redskins need is a homophobic 30 year-old running back who has only 358 yards on 132 carries so far this season, which is 2.7 yards per carry.

In fact the last thing that the Redskins need is a running back, as they have Ladell Betts and Rock Cartwright, both of whom are arguably better than pampered and overpaid Clinton Portis, who will not even practice, and it shows. Betts shows spark that Portis rarely has and yet for some reason the Redskins have favored Portis. Betts and Cartwright do everything that the organization asks of them yet go no credit from the front office or a big paycheck, which is just one more sign of front office dysfunction.

So the Redskins' lack of interest in Johnson is good news as it will let Betts and Cartwright get a chance to show their talent and determination despite a woeful O Line and even worse front office.

Monday, November 09, 2009

The Sorry State of the Skins is National News

It is sad that the sorry state of the Redskins has become a national news story. It is one thing to read about the Skins in the NYT, which is the home paper of a division rival, but to read about them in the Wall Street Journal, in a negative way, is a new low.

From today's WSJ article entitled "Washington Vetoes the Redskins:"
"Can't we just send the Washington Redskins back, like an unsavory turkey club sandwich? ...

Mostly we're just fatigued by how much attention this miserable franchise gets. We're exhausted by all that choleric anger directed at Washington's meddlesome owner, Daniel Snyder. Why must peaceful civilians be assaulted daily by reports on the Redskins' fractured front office? Why do innocent ears hear the plaintive howls of John Riggins? (He's the rugged ex-Redskin great who, sounding like Joseph Conrad, recently said Mr. Snyder's "heart is dark."

Another Week, Another Loss

It's almost unbearable at this point. The Skins 31 to 17 loss to the Falcons, while no surprise, was just as painful to watch.

A couple of observations... Thank God they finally got Marko Mitchell on the field. Mitchell had 2 catches in limited playing time. In the short time he was on the field he accomplished more than Devin Thomas or Malcolm Kelly has in any other game this year. Let's hope they keep Mitchell on the field more often. Second, our offense looked much better after Portis left with an injury and Ladell Betts took over the ball-carrying duties. I for one dont want to see Portis anymore this year. Make Betts the starter and be done with Portis.

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

The Burgundy Revolution


The people are angry. Dan Steinberg at the Washington Post has done a great job of blogging on the uprising of Redskins fans against the front office and Dan Snyder, what Steinberg has dubbed the Burgundy Revolution. The picture to the right is of Shannon Sharpe pretending to be a Redskin fan and thus wearing a paper bag while Bill Cowher laughs. Notably, Bill Cowher is one of the potential head coaches that Snyder wants to lure to DC. Read the sign and what Cowher is laughing at. I guess he won't be taking the Skins head coaching job any time soon.

Another potential head coach on the short list (as opposed to the Redskins' "longest-in-the-NFL" season ticket wait list) is Mike Holmgren. I guess that what happen either as Holmgren went on record trashing Danny:
Perhaps Mike Holmgren might not want to coach the Redskins after all.

He sure didn't sound like a guy trying to impress owner Daniel Snyder when he blasted Washington management Monday for its treatment of Coach Jim Zorn, one of Holmgren's former assistants, during an interview with a Chicago radio station....

"The position they put Jim in, it shouldn't happen. You can be upset with me as a play-caller or how the team's going, [then] fire me. But don't do that. Don't pull the rug out from under me, tie my hands, make me look foolish . . . take away what I came there to do in the first place. Don't do that."
For a full accounting of how the demise of the Redskins has become a national sports story check out this.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

DeSean Jackson as the Prime Example of Redskins GM Dysfunction

I am now watching the Eagles lead the G-Men and DeSean Jackson just scored another touchdown. What is remarkable is that he has had six this season so far and every one was 50 yards or greater. Wow, that is a play maker.

Washington did not have a first round draft pick in 2008, which is cause enough to indict Cerrato. But they did have two second round picks. And whom did they pick? At #3 Devin Thomas and at #17 Fred Davis.

Both players have amounted to zero in terms of production. The 18th pick of the 2nd round was Philly's, and they chose DeSean Jackson, who tore the Skins apart last Monday and is giving the G-Men a major headache.

The fact is that the Skins' scouting and drafting operation stinks. While I like Orakpo we could have had Michael Oher as a ten year plus left tackle and that would have been more valuable.